As gardeners, we all wish for more gardening space. Imagine if you had room for an additional raised bed? Perhaps a few fruit trees? What about a large strawberry bed? Oh yes, daydreams abound when it comes to garden space. But let me ask you this, do you ever dream how to maximize a space that makes gardening possible? Have you thought about how to maximize garden shed space?
Whether you were fortunate to have a property that already has a garden shed or you are picturing where it would go in your backyard, one thing tends to hold true… people rarely put up multiple sheds or add square footage to an existing shed. The cost is usually prohibitive in addition to folks being unwilling to give up garden space to a structure. But even with a 4′ x 6′ shed, you can enhance its storage space so that it feels much larger.
If you are a new shed owner, you may wonder just what you should or could put into the shed. But before you starting tossing in items willy-nilly, think about what task you need the shed to perform. Will it be storage for items that won’t fit in the garage? Will it hold patio furniture during the winter months? Pool toys? Bicycles? Or will this shed truly be a garden shed? My best advice that I can give to you, treat the garden shed as a garden shed and not simply additional storage for the garage, pool, toys, or household items.
But before you place the first pot or hose in the shed, there are many ways that you can maximize garden shed space. Trust me, this will really help you in the long run as well as making it easier not only to find infrequently used items but also to gain access from the door through the entire shed. If you can walk through without stumbling over items, you are far more likely to organize this space and keep it as a garden shed rather than a catch-all.
How to Maximize Garden Shed Space
Hang long-handled tools from the ceiling with a tool hanger.
Hang frequently used small hand tools in an organizer to keep them easy to access.
Add adjustable shelving to one wall
- Place the bottom shelf high enough that large items such as a lawnmower or wheelbarrow will fit underneath
- Stack pots vertically rather than setting them side by side
- Nest smaller pots inside larger pots
- Add hooks to the wall so coils of hose or small trellises can be kept off the floor
- Hang hanging baskets from long-handled tools (which are hung from the ceiling) for winter storage
- Add hooks/nails to the wall in uniform vertical rows and hang as many tools, twine, hose, and trellis/fencing items as possible (if the hooks are long enough, store multiples of the same item on the same hook)
- Add hooks to the backside of the door for additional storage
- Store items in a wheelbarrow when not in use
- Stack milk crates on their side for additional storage and place items inside each crate
Once you have applied these space-saving techniques to maximize your storage, you can further enhance your storage space by using these following ideas.
Storage Ideas
- Store like items together, such as hand tools
- Store seeds in mouse-proof containers such as glass or metal
- Use baskets to hold small items
- Add an old desk or dresser to your garden shed. Not only can it be used as storage, but the surface can double as a potting bench
- Coil spare for the best drip irrigation system (this will reduce the amount of space taken up by tubing)
- Stack tomato cages vertically
- Keep potting soil near/under potting bench
- Keep garden twine on/near the potting bench
- Keep garden trowel on/near a potting bench
- Keep a path/walkway in the shed to allow for easy access
- Do not store anything in the path/walkway
- Do not allow non-garden items to migrate into the garden shed
- Do not store items such as straw in the shed. This is an open invitation to mice. (Straw is best stored outside up off the ground on something such as a pallet and then covered with a tarp to protect it from wet weather).
- Sort through items at the end of the gardening season and toss or repair anything that is broken.
Gardeners, the size of your garden shed doesn’t matter. It could be a modest 4′ x 6′ or perhaps a generous 8′ x 10′ or even a monster that is 12′ x 16′. The key is that regardless of the shed’s footprint, you can take steps to maximize your garden shed storage. Are you handy with a hammer and capable of repurposing items? Maybe you are more comfortable getting out your checkbook and hiring someone to fulfill your garden shed vision?
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That said, start small. Maybe you can get started just by stacking pots one season and then adding adjustable shelving the following year? Of the items listed to maximize storage, do you have a favorite? Or better yet, ask yourself, are you ready to maximize your garden shed storage?
